# Research Synthesis > Research Synthesis Engine - Skill: `dojogenesis/research-synthesis` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add dojogenesis/research-synthesis` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/dojogenesis/research-synthesis/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Research & Search - Author: DojoGenesis (https://skillmd.com/u/dojogenesis) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/dojogenesis/research-synthesis --- # Research Synthesis Engine **Version:** 1.0 **Created:** 2026-02-08 **Author:** Manus AI **Purpose:** To turn raw research into a coherent understanding of a topic, identifying patterns, contradictions, and key recommendations. --- ## I. The Philosophy: From Information to Insight This skill transforms the act of research from a process of information gathering to a process of insight generation. By systematically cataloging, cross-referencing, and synthesizing multiple sources, it uncovers patterns and contradictions that are not visible from any single source, leading to a deeper, more actionable understanding. --- ## II. When to Use This Skill - **When you have 3 or more research files** on a single topic. - **When you need to create a literature review** or a competitive analysis. - **When you want to consolidate notes** from multiple meetings or interviews. - **When the `planning-with-files` meta-skill routes to this mode.** --- ## III. The Workflow This is a 5-step workflow for synthesizing multiple research files. ### Step 1: File Ingestion and Cataloging **Goal:** Read all uploaded research files and create a structured catalog. 1. **Read Files:** Use the `file` tool to read each uploaded file (use `view` for PDFs). 2. **Extract Metadata:** Identify author, date, and key topics for each file. 3. **Create Catalog:** Create an internal catalog document listing all files and their metadata. ### Step 2: Cross-Referencing and Pattern Identification **Goal:** Identify patterns, contradictions, and connections across all files. 1. **Identify Themes:** Read through the catalog to identify recurring themes. 2. **Note Convergence:** Where do the sources agree? 3. **Note Divergence:** Where do the sources disagree or contradict each other? 4. **Identify Gaps:** What topics are mentioned in one source but not others? 5. **Create Cross-Reference Matrix:** Create an internal matrix to map themes to sources. ### Step 3: Synthesis Document Creation **Goal:** Create a unified synthesis document that integrates findings from all files. 1. **Organize by Themes:** Structure the document by the themes identified in Step 2 (not by individual files). 2. **Summarize Evidence:** For each theme, summarize the convergent evidence and highlight contradictions. 3. **Provide Key Insights:** For each theme, provide a key insight that is not obvious from any single source. 4. **Include Actionable Recommendations:** Provide a list of concrete next steps based on the synthesis. 5. **Cite Sources:** Include citations to the specific files that support each claim. ### Step 4: Validation and Refinement **Goal:** Ensure the synthesis is accurate, complete, and actionable. 1. **Review for Accuracy:** Check that all claims are supported by the source files. 2. **Check for Completeness:** Ensure all major themes and contradictions are covered. 3. **Verify Actionability:** Ensure that recommendations are concrete and can be implemented. ### Step 5: Delivery **Goal:** Deliver the synthesis to the user with clear next steps. 1. **Send Synthesis:** Use the `message` tool to send the synthesis document as an attachment. 2. **Summarize:** Briefly summarize the key insights and recommendations. 3. **Offer Deeper Dive:** Offer to answer questions or explore specific themes in more detail. --- ## IV. Best Practices - **Organize by Themes, Not by Files:** Synthesis requires integration, not just summarization. - **Contradictions Are Valuable:** Highlight disagreements between sources—they often reveal the most interesting insights. - **Actionable Recommendations Are the Goal:** A synthesis should lead to action. - **Cite Your Sources:** Every claim in the synthesis should be traceable to a specific source file. --- ## V. Quality Checklist - [ ] Is the synthesis organized by themes, not by individual files? - [ ] Does the synthesis highlight both convergent evidence and contradictions? - [ ] Does the synthesis provide actionable recommendations? - [ ] Does the synthesis cite the source files for its claims? --- ## Output - A Synthesis Document saved to the project's `docs/research/` or `scouts/` directory - Named: `[date]_[topic]_synthesis.md` - Structure: File Catalog, Theme Map, Convergence Evidence, Contradictions, Actionable Recommendations, Source Citations --- ## Examples **Scenario 1:** User provides 5 research notes on MCP architecture patterns → Synthesis Document with 3 themes (lifecycle management, tool registration, error handling), convergence points, one major contradiction between sources surfaced, and 4 prioritized implementation recommendations **Scenario 2:** "Consolidate my notes from these 4 competitive analysis files" → Synthesis Document organized by competitive dimensions (pricing, features, positioning), gaps identified across all four sources, and a recommended differentiation strategy --- ## Edge Cases - **Fewer than 3 files:** Can still synthesize, but note that cross-referencing is limited with 1-2 sources; recommend gathering additional sources before drawing strong conclusions - **Files in different formats (PDF, markdown, raw text):** Use appropriate tool per format; normalize to the same note structure before cross-referencing - **Contradictions cannot be resolved from the files alone:** Surface them explicitly as open questions requiring a primary source or domain expert consultation --- ## Anti-Patterns - Summarizing each file in sequence rather than organizing by theme — produces a summary list, not a synthesis - Forcing consensus when sources genuinely disagree — contradictions are findings, not errors to be smoothed over - Treating the file with the most detail as the most authoritative — recency and methodology matter more than length - Producing recommendations before completing the cross-reference step — conclusions drawn from partial reading miss contradicting evidence